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Sotha Sil
Sotha Sil, also called Lord Seht,A Memory Book, Part 2 was one of the members of the Tribunal,36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1 the divine rulers of Morrowind. For his feats, Sotha Sil was called an architect of time, a binder of Oblivion,Dialogue with Servant of Sotha Sil and the "Mystery of Morrowind." He is known by many other titles, such as the Clockwork God, Father of Mysteries, the Inspiration of Craft and Sorcery, the Light of Knowledge, Magus, Magician, Sorcerer, Tinkerer, the "si" in ALMSIVI, and later a Saint of the New Temple.The Reclamations He was said to be reshaping the world from his hidden Clockwork City. Sotha Sil the Magus was one of the three God-like Kings of Morrowind, a Pillar of the Tribunal Temple, and the patron of artificers and wizards. Sotha Sil was the mightiest wizard and the wisest councilor of the First Council, and also spent time training the Psijic Order on Artaeum. He was the companion and teacher of Vivec and Nerevar. According to the Tribunal Temple Cult, Sotha Sil was the Light of Knowledge and the Inspiration of Craft and Sorcery, and Azura was the Anticipation of Sotha Sil.Vivec and Mephala By game *Sotha Sil (Tribunal) *Sotha Sil (Online) *Sotha Sil (Legends) **Sotha Sil (Card) History Early life Sotha Sil was born a Chimer to the small house of Sotha in Ald Sotha, Resdayn, now known as Morrowind.Dialogue with Tholer Saryoni He was known to have had a mother, whose name is unknown, and a sister, Sotha Nall.A Brief History of Ald SothaThe Factotum's Secret Voice From one of his memories, Sotha Sil's mother comforted the young boy after he had sustained a minor injury, using the childhood nursery tale of the Brave Little Scrib to inspire courage in him. Another memory involved his sister, Nall, trying to convince Sil to enter an off-limits area, an idea that Sil was hesitant towards.Memories in the Mnemonic Planisphere According to one of Almalexia's homilies, a young Sotha Sil was playing in a Kwama Egg Mine as a child, throwing stones at small scribs for amusement. One scrib lifted its head up and begged Sotha Sil to stop, telling him that for them, it was suffering and death when they were hit by the stones. This taught the young Chimer that what are idle amusements of one can be solemn tortures for another.The Homilies of Blessed Almalexia Another homily tells of young Sotha laying down and gazing at the stars at night. In his passion for maths, Sil decided to count every star and give each of them a name, eventually falling asleep. When he awoke, he saw that the stars had vanished, and began to weep, learning the lesson that time cages all tasks.Blessed Almalexia's Fables for Evening For unknown reasons, the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon arrived in Ald Sotha during Sotha Sil's youth and destroyed it, killing everyone in it including Sil's family.The Truth in Sequence: Volume 8 Sotha Sil was the only survivor of the attack, as Vivec was said to have rescued him. Advisorship At some point he became an advisor to Nerevar, his wife Almalexia, and his generals. He had a number of students and companions studying under him, such as Farena Andrano.Dialogue of Canon Llevule During the first Battle of the Red Mountain, Sotha Sil helped drive the Nord people from Morrowind using his skills in sorcery, accompanied by Nerevar's forces and King Dumac's Dwemer army. After this, the First Council was formed. During this time Sotha Sil was praised for his diplomatic skill and was known as the greatest wizard of his time. Tensions soon grew between the two races after High Tonal Architect Kagrenac secretly attempted to transcend the Dwemer race to godhood. Due to this Nerevar declared war on the entire Dwemer and the War of the First Council began. During the war, Sotha Sil was named a general of the chimer army and alongside Vivec, Nerevar and Almalexia battled king Dumac and Kagrenac in the bowels of the Red Mountain. During this battle, Dumac was killed. Kagrenac used Keening, Sunder, and Wraithguard on the Heart of Lorkhan, making the entire Dwemer race vanish off the face of Nirn.The Battle of Red Mountain War of the First Council After the Battle of Red Mountain, Sotha Sil learned how to use Kagrenac's Tools so that a mortal could tap the divine power within the Heart and turn themselves into a god. Nerevar forbade this divine manipulation and forced the Tribunal to make an oath not to use it. Nerevar then entrusted Kagrenac's tools to Voryn Dagoth (who would later become Dagoth Ur) while he and his advisors convened on what to do with the Heart of Lorkhan. When Sotha Sil, Vivec and Almalexia returned to lock the tools away from the world, Voryn, who had been corrupted by the Heart, refused to give Kagrenac's Tools to Nerevar. He believed that he was entrusted to hold them and, in his madness, attacked Nerevar and his companions. During this battle, Nerevar was killed and Dagoth Ur retreated into the bowels of the Red Mountain. The death of Nerevar caused the Tribunal to make use of the Heart for the good of their people, the Chimer. They went to Red Mountain and used the tools to transform themselves into gods.Dialogue with Almalexia in Azura cursed them for breaking their oath to Nerevar and establishing a new religion by forsaking any connection with the Daedra. During this confrontation Sotha Sil taunted Azura, telling her that the Chimer did not need the Daedra anymore. Enraged by the Tribunal's betrayal, Azura cursed almost the entire Chimer race. From that moment on, the Chimer were known as the Dunmer, their skin turned ashen, and their eyes turned red.Nerevar at Red Mountain Four Score War During the Four Score War with the Reman Empire, the Tribunal used many tactics previously used in the war between the Chimer and the Dwemer, which seemed to work in the beginning. The war was brought to a conclusion by the Morag Tong who assassinated King Reman Cyrodiil III in 1E 2920.2920, vol 12 - Evening Star Time in the Isles and Coldharbour Compact During the end of the First Era, at 1E 2920, Sotha Sil spent some time on the Isle of Artaeum and as a member of the Psijic Order, taught some of the new mages in sorcery and all forms of magic.2920, vol 02 - Sun's Dawn After a daedric disaster at the village of Gil-Var-Delle (caused by Molag Bal), Sotha Sil at the urging of Almalexia journeyed into Oblivion via The Dreaming Cave, and issued a meeting in Coldharbour with the eight most prominent Daedric Princes: Molag Bal, Boethiah, Azura, Hircine, Hermaeus Mora, Malacath, Sheogorath, and Mehrunes Dagon. Although the exact terms of the pact are unknown to most of the inhabitants of Tamriel, what is known is that the Princes had agreed not to answer any summoning by any amateurs until the war between Morrowind and the Reman Empire ended. Only the Psijics could counsel with the daedra, along with a few nomadic sorcerers and witches.2920, vol 04 - Rain's Hand Sack of Mournhold .]] Sotha Sil's pact with the Daedric Princes failed to prevent the destruction of Mournhold, as a Dunmer witch named Turala managed to summon Mehrunes Dagon, and asked for its destruction. Sotha Sil and Almalexia were too late to prevent the destruction, but after fighting countless hordes of Dremora, they managed to banish the prince of destruction back to Oblivion. Although Mehrunes Dagon had been defeated, Mournhold had all but been destroyed.2920, vol 11 - Sun's Dusk The Three Banners War Sotha Sil had a few assistants in the Second Era, the most notable being Barilzar, who later retired from his service.Dialogue of Divayth Fyr in During the Three Banners War and Molag Bal's invasion of Tamriel, Sotha Sil was often travelling, with not even Vivec knowing where he was.Dialogue of Vivec in In the city of Ebonheart, the populace turned to Disciple Sildras for comfort due to an expected attack by the Daggerfall Covenant. Sildras, however, had begun to lose faith in the Tribunal's protection of the city. This was not until the Vestige came and at Sildras's urging prayed at the shrines to the three gods. During this time, the Vestige encountered the Servant of Sotha Sil, an apparition sent by the god to communicate with his worshippers.Events of Night of the Soul Varen Aquilarios also warned the Vestige that a war involving the Daedric Princes would occur when Sotha Sil opened the gates to his Clockwork City.Dialogue with Varen Aquilarios Clavicus Vile, one of the princes not bound by the Coldharbour Compact, made a deal to give Sotha Sil's staff Sunna'rah to the later Failed Incarnate Conoon Chodala, who used it to steal Vivec's divine energy. Barbas later took the staff and used Vivec's stolen power to travel to the Clockwork City, but was successfully stopped by the Vestige and Barilzar.Events of Troubles of the Tribunal and return of Dagoth Ur .]] In 3E 417, Almalexia and Sotha Sil visited the Red Mountain for their annual divine bath. The reawakened leaders of the Sixth House and Dagoth Ur ambushed them and stole two of Kagrenac's Tools, Keening and Sunder.Dagoth Ur's Plans Vivec rescued Almalexia and Sotha Sil, but failing to recover Keening and Sunder, and the Tribunal retreated from Red Mountain in disorder. The Tribunal grew weaker without access to the Heart. During this time a citizen of the empire bearing the signs of Nerevar reincarnated appeared. This citizen continued to exhibit more and more of the specific criteria of the Nerevarine, and eventually rallied the three great houses House Hlaalu, House Redoran, and House Telvanni and defeated Dagoth Ur while severing the Heart from the mortal plane. Later Life and Death Later in life, it is believed that Sotha Sil grew weary of mortal imperfections, and retired to his Clockwork City. It is here where he reshaped life—some say the world—into an image he found pleasing. Sotha Sil died at the hands of his long-time friend and fellow Tribunal member, Almalexia. In madness, she, after losing her godhood due to the releasing of the Heart of Lorkhan by the Nerevarine, transported herself to the Clockwork City by using Barilzar's Mazed Band and slew him. Even as he died, he kept his silence, much to the chagrin and further provocation of Almalexia. His charred, limbless corpse can be found in .Events of Following the Red Year, Sotha Sil, alongside the rest of the Tribunal, were relegated to the status of Saints in the new Dunmeri Pantheon.Conversations between Elder Othreloth and Galdrus Hlervu Legacy Initially, no one believed the Nerevarine when they told them about Sotha Sil and Almalexia's death, other than Helseth Hlaalu, Barenziah, and Vivec. After the collapse of the Tribunal temple, Sotha Sil was renamed a saint, alongside Vivec and Almalexia in the New Temple religion,Dialogue with Elder Othreloth and was believed to be either dead or have disappeared by the citizens of Morrowind. Personality In life, Sotha Sil, spent time counseling, guiding, and protecting mortals, and was known to love them perhaps more than either Vivec or Almalexia. Sotha Sil was said to have felt the stress of each of his people, but gave them no more load than he knew they could bear. He was close to Almalexia and Vivec as Vivec called him a "brother" during his conversations with the NerevarineDialogue with Vivec and when Almalexia arrived in Artaeum, she embraced Sotha Sil when she saw him. Eventually, He became almost completely detached from the real world after the loss of Sunder and Keening. He slowly lost touch with the affairs of the Dunmer, the rest of his fellow Tribunal, and eventually all of Tamriel.Dialogue with Mehra Helas Almalexia had falsely proclaimed that Sotha Sil had gone mad after killing him, as to attribute the Fabricant attacks on Mournhold to him. Sotha Sil shows strong signs of determinism, believing that his actions are already set in time, no matter the morals of his actions, since they are inevitable. Because of this, he feels almost trapped, but does not consider himself a prisoner since he cannot see a way out of this logic.Dialogue with Sotha Sil in While differently from Vivec and Almalexia he does not see himself as a god, he gazes upon existence with admiration and puts effort into perfecting everything he can no matter what role he must take, being watchful of every detail reality can offer and its implications in the past and future.Dialogue with Sotha Sil in Physical appearance In 1E 2920, Sotha Sil had the appearance of a Dunmer in a white cloak, and was known to have maintained this apparel in 2E 583. Sil was rather tall for the average Dunmer, towering above even most Altmer. He wore a mask with three large spikes protruding from its top that covered most of the left side of his face, yet left the rest of it exposed. His left arm was replaced by an advanced robotic limb, and he wore light metallic pauldrons on his shoulders, yet often walked around barefoot. By 3E 427, Sil had his lower body replaced by machinery, with multiple wires and cords keeping him held up. Gallery Sotha Sil Statue.png|Close-up of the Sotha Sil's statue in the Brass Fortress Sotha Sil ESO Concept Art.jpg|Concept art of Sotha Sil Sotha Sil art.png|Fresco of Sotha Sil seen on shrines Sotha Sil Statue Full.png|A full model of Sotha Sil's statue in Clockwork City Servant of Sotha Sil.png|Servant of Sotha Sil Enigma of sotha sil.png|Enigma of Sotha Sil Trivia *Fa-Nuit-Hen says that he, along with the Baron Who Moves Like Heat Lightning, fought alongside Sotha Sil against the "Borers from Within" and "The Hinged Ones." *Despite the fact Sotha Sil's views, living appearance, voice, and opinions had been shrouded in mystery, during the events of it is possible to talk directly to him, in a way he reveals much about himself. **When asked by the Vestige about the true nature of what he really is, Sotha Sil says that while the expected answer could be grand, the truth is that he is a mere result of time and circumstance, and not choices, quoting misfortunes in his life that happened out of his control.Dialogue with Sotha Sil in **While asked if he is a god, Sotha Sil compares himself with a mirror, being whatever the people need him to be, no matter if a guardian or an oppressor. Also, he remarks on the fact that the divine title is much more of the theatricality of Almalexia and Vivec, as being revered as gods appeases them, while he does not care, but does not condemn his companions. **Sotha Sil mentions that he sees Vivec as a brother and that each one knows the struggles of the other, making their relationships complicated. According to the Clockwork God, Vivec is a prisoner of beauty and desire of great works, with an insatiable appetite of embracing everything - every race, every gender, every hero, divinity and finity - but as in the end he can only be Vivec, he is left in despair and regret. **Despite the aforementioned commentaries, Sotha Sil mentions that Vivec knows the boundaries of what is real and what is not, existing inside his own tales, but recognizing his own contradictions, partly believing, and partly not. **When it comes to Almalexia, he highlights that differently from Vivec, she believes and sows lies with great capacity, only to receive trust and adulation. Despite the critique, Sotha Sil does not get bothered by this, as he remarks that this is Almalexia's nature, and that she cannot do otherwise. **In a case of ominous foreshadowing, Sotha Sil states that Almalexia's behavior will not end well, despite showing no concern about it. This is ironic since Almalexia's lack of control eventually led to his own death at her hands. **Later, Sotha Sil describes himself as suffering from the burden of total, absolute, relentless certainty, giving him the strong impression of the lack of freedom caused by having no indecision. He states his actions, good or evil are locked in time, determined by action and consequence. *Sotha Sil's determinist behavior, his way of seeing reality and calmly accepting it, the tragic past events that led to his eventual ascension into a godlike being, his relation with clockworks and his exile and apparent apathy in his later years bears some resemblance to Alan Moore's Dr. Manhattan from 1986's comic book Watchmen. Appearances * ** * * ** * ** ** ** ** * de:Sotha Sil (Lore) es:Sotha Sil fr:Sotha Sil (Lore) it:Sotha Sil pl:Sotha Sil (postać) ru:Сота Сил (персонаж) Category:Lore: Males Category:Lore: Chimer Category:Lore: Dunmer Category:Tribunal Category:Saints